Railway-crossing signa



(No Model.) I n c. SELDBN. RAILWAY CROSSING SIGNA@ No. 578,840. Patented Mar. 16, 1897.

A2 Sheds-Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT l Diemen.;

` cnARLEs SELDEN, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

RAILWAY-CROSSING SIG NA sPncrFrcAcrroN forming part of Letters Patent No. 578,840, dated March 1o, use?. Application filed February 11, 1897. Serial No. 622,953.` 4(No model.)

.To all when/tit may concern.-`

Beit known that I, CHARLES SELDEN, a citizen of the-United States, and a resident of Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented acertain new and useful Railway- Grossing Signal, of which the following is a specification.

ai, Il"liI-yinvention relatesto railway signal yapparatusoperated by passing trains and dero signed to cause a-n alarm to sound or a signal to :be given when trains approach a certain point, `as,fo,r instance', a highway or other p crossing, in either direction, and so organized that the'alarm or signal will go out of action i5 andremain unaffected as the train, moving in' Ieither direction, reccdes from such given point. y

.f In apparatus of this character it is usual to cause `the alarm to stop or the signal to be 2o thrown out of action when the first wheel or car ofthe train reaches the same point, such as'the crossing, for movement in either-direcj l. L tion,.in order' that such action may take place at relatively the same point in the movement ofthe train going in either direction. The y objection to `such arrangement is that it cannot` be` known to the engineer or to persons on.. the train Whether the alarm has 'been vproperly sounded or the signal properly set 3o as Vthe/train approaches the crossing, `to 0bviate which obgection, while at the same time leaving' the `apparatus free to operate in its f Lordinary vor `accustomed manner in setting and- Ithrowing od thesignahis the object of 3 5 myf presentinvention.

(To thisend my invention consists in the provision of va `supplementary circuit-closer o y ,Operated'by the train and located or arranged, as herciildescribed and shown, to keep-tho 4o signal temporarily in action while the train is passing i`t,\'althou gh the unsettin g or reset- 'ting devices may have been already brought Vinto action."` 'p In' tlie accompanying drawings I have illustrated'fmy iivention diagralnmatically asapplied' tfJftvor different old organizations of apparatus -ha'vin g the general mode ot operation above described: i

Iiigurel 'shows' the invention as applied to 5o oneforrn, aiidEig. 2 to another.

Iwill first describe the apparatus as organized and operatingA without my invention.

Upon a suitable base are placed four electromagnets, the pole-pieces of the two marked 2 and 4 and also 3 'and 5 being arranged at right angles to each other: The armature-17 ot' magnet 2 and 14 of magnet 4 being likewise at right angles are adapted to lock when magnet 2 is energized and unlocked when magnet 4 is energized. The same position and arrangement are provided with magnet 3 and armature 16 and magneto and armature 15. When magnet 3 is encrgized, armature 1G is attracted and engaged at points i l2 13 with armature 15, said points being disengaged when magnet 5 is energized.

S represcntsasignal contained in thelocal of signal-circuit 'i and 7c, worked by battery E', although, as clearly evident, the main battery E could be used for this purpose by thekemployiuent of a loop from either wire i or v A train entering 'in the direction indicated by the arrow F Iirst makes contact at trackcircuit-closing device A. This establishes a circuit, and the current is then through wire a', wire a, magnet 5, wire f, wire e4, buttery E, and wire e. This has no eiicct upon the instrument other than to attract armature l5 and `to insure that all parts are at normal previous to the arrival of train or carat circuitclosing device lh lt is well to here remark that the distance between circuit-closcrs A andBis considerable, so as to coverthe length of 'an unusually long train. 'lhercforc device A isclear and electrical contact therein broken before the forward part of the `car 0r locomotive reaches device B. Immediately upon the passage 'of the first wheel of the car or locoiiotive over device B cireuitis then.

complete, through wire l5, magnet :2, wire 7L, armature 16, wire c2, battery E, wire e, back to device 13. 'lhisicauses varmature 17 to be attracted by magnet 2, and projection l0 on the end thereof Vengages lugl l1 of armature 14, said armature' being held in engagement therewith by/rbtractile spring 2O.` This engagement o the armatures 14 and 17 completes they oca-lor signal' circuit from one i pole of battery E', wire la, armature 14, ar-

mature 17, wire a', signal S, to the other pole of the battery. Almostiminediatelyaftcrthe p passage of the 4forward part of train over device B, device C isreit ched and contact therein fg Y 578,840 if made, b/i'it no circuit is established, yas will.

, bell, then at said road-crossing. A

- magnet 25.

be now/explained. Assuming, for the sake of olea ness, that all contacts werev complete for thi circuit, the current would then flow through ywire c, magnet 3, wire g, armature 17, wires e3 e2.to battery; but by reason of magnet 2 havihg been first energized 'from device B and armature 17 being heldin locked engagement with"armature 14e the 'contacts G 7 are separated, thereby rendering circuit from device C incomplete, and magnet 3 is not energized. These two devices B and C may be placed at any/'distance from a roadcrossing that it may be desirable to give warning of the approach of atrain; /As the train proceeds, circuit-closer D is reached. /This device is 'usually placed in the immediate vieinity of the signal. 1f it be a road'- rossing y ircuit is established when the contact D is made. The current is through Wire d, magnet 4, wires f e"t to battery E, and by wire e lback to device D. As the train proceeds, track device C is reached, and immediately upon thefpass'age of the first'wheel of said train thereover/a circuit is established, the current then ilowing through wire c', magnet 3, Wire g, armature 17, contact' 7, wire c3, Wire e2, battery E, and backto device C. This operation energizes magnet 3 and breaks circuit atl v9 by reason of the attraction of armntnreli...

and the locking thereofwith armature/15. Therefore when the train reaches device B' the circuit by wire Z), wire h, wire c2 to battery is broken at contacts 8 9, and magnet 2 cannot be energized. Hence the signal is'not operated. Vhen the train finally passes outr of the protected section and over the device A', the circuitwhich is completed by wires a' d2 c4 to battery E energizes magnet 5. This operation attracts armature 15, separating the contact at 12 13 and releasing armature 16, and by actionof retractile spring 22 contacts 8 and 9 are restored, and all parts are then normal.

As will be readily understood, a train or car passing` over the protected section in the on! posite direction (indicated by arrow 1") the operation as above described is repeated.

`Another forni designed to produce the same results is as follows: S represents a signaling device, in this instance a vibrating bell include'd' in the circuit of a local battery o. The eonnccti ns of this battery are designed to be complet d'by the contact of a spring c with an arm c@ under the'inlluenee of the pressure exerted by an armature-lever dx of an elect-ro- Upon this arn'iature-lever there is a catch d', which is designed to pass be'- hind a 'corresponding catch c' upon an armature eX, applied to an electromagnet 26. If the electromagnet 25 be `/italized while the f armature eX is away from its magnet, the catch electromagnet 26 be Iirst vitalized and then the electroinagnet 25, then both armature-levers will be allowed tocoane Vforward and the circuit of the battery will be completed. The positions of the armatures are so adjusted that while the armature e can pass toward its electromagnet, provided the armature d* be in its backward position, yet if the latter be drawn slightly forward then the detent or the catch e' and prevent the latter from coining forward when the elcctroinagnet 2G is vitali'zed, thus insuring that the armature (ZX cannot close the circuit of the local battery in any event when the electroinagnet 25 is vit-alized first. The'ineans whereby these electromagnets are vitalized in the proper succession are as follows: At each of two suitable points F' and F2, at the required distances from the crossing Biare placed two ci1euit7closers, as /shown at ff2 and f3 f4. These circuit-closers may be of any convenient forni adapted to complete the connections between the rails a5 of the track and the conductors 1', 2', 3', and 4', respectively, by the operation of a passing train. The conductor 1 leads from the circuit-closer fto aconductor 5', including the coilsfjof the electromagnet 26 and connected with one pole, say the positive, of a battery O'. The negative pole oi this battery f Vhen, therefore,thc circuit is completed betw/een the rail and the conductor 1 by a train passing the circuit-closer f', the electromagnet 26 will be vitalif/.ed and its armaturelever drawn forward. The train proceeding upon the track in the direction indicated by the arrow then closes the circuit between the rail and the conductor 2' by means of the eircuit-closer f2. The conductor 2' is connected with a conductor 7', leading throu gh the coils of electromagnet 25 to one pole, say the negative, of a battery O2. The remaining pole of with the rails c5. rllhc elcctrolnagnet 'will therefore be vitalized, and the armature c having been drawn out of its nath'the arma- For this reason a circuit-closer f5 is employed, and this is connected by a conductor 8 with the conductor 5', leadin g through the electroinagnct 2G. rlhe train reaching the crossing causing the elcetroinagnet 2li to be vitalizcd catch d' will pass behind the hooked end of this battery is connected bythe conductor t3'v tu re ZX will be drawn forward, thus closing the and the circuit of the batt'ery 0 interrupted.

closes the circuit through this device, thereby,

isrnnected byte. conducior.' .with ihcrails IOO IIO

i and its armature-lever drawn forward, thus ture cx.

` rangement or f5 in the other'the alarm ceases :releasing the armature dx, which immediately falls away from its magnet, thus opening the circuit of the batteryl o. The train continuing reaches the circuit-closer f4 and completes the circuit thrpugh the magnet 25 by Way of the conductor 4', leading from the circuit-closer to the conductor 7', but the armature dx is prevented from coming forward and closing the circuit of the local battery o by reason of the hooked catch c' upon the arma- The circuit is then closed through the magnet 26 by the circuit-eloser f3, which is connected by the conductor 3' with the conduetor 5. The armature eX, however, is pre vented from coming forward by reason of the hooked extension e' being enga-ged by the catch d' upon thearmatnre dx, it being understood that thearmaturedX is held forward by itselectroinagn'et 25. The circuit of the battery o, therefore, will not be completed by the train passing from the crossing over the circuit-closers f3 and f4.

It is evident that a train passing in the direction opposite that indicated by the arrow q Ywill iirst arrive at the cireuit-eloser f3 and complete, the circuit th rough the electromagnet 26. Then by reason of the circuit-closer f4 the electromagnet 25 will be vitalized and thus operate the signaling devices in precisely the same manner as described with reference to a train passing in the direction of the arrow and operating the circuit-closers f and f2. The signal will then remain actuated -until the train arrives at the crossing, whereupon it is released in the manner described.

The train subsequently passes the circuit` closers f2 and f in succession without oper- Aating the signal. It will be observed thatin both these cases as soon as the locomotive or ear reaches the 'circuit-closer D in one ar,

`no alarm will be given.

to sound, the apparatus being at that instantso set that in passing away from the signal Hence the engineer or persons on the train cannot tell whether the signal had been sounded. ToK obviate this objection., I apply the supplemental circuit-closer D2, as indicated, consisting, preferably, of an insulated track-rail or any other track instrument that would keep a circuit closed whilea train passes over it could be employed. This device is connected by suit able Wires 75, as indicated, with the circuit of the alarm S, so that the alarm will sound while the train is passing despite the fact th at theinstrument D or f5 has reset or thrown the apparatus into condition 'to-cause it to cease sounding. At the same time the device D2 does not interfere witlrthe normal or desired operation of the device D or f5, which act as usual to rest the devices controlling the circuit of S, and hence as soon as the circuit is opened at D2 the signal S will go out of action, but while the train is passing the signal and instrument f5 or `D the signal or alarm will be in operation. t

lVhat I claim as my invention is The combination with a .railroad-crossing signal adapted to be set from either side of the crossing and provided with resetting dc vices for throwing it out of action at or about the time they train reaches the crossing, of a supplemental circuit and circuit-closer operated by the train for keeping the signal tcmporarilyiin action while the tra-in is' passing said signal, as and for the purpose described.

Signed at Baltimore city, in the State of Maryland, this (5th day of February, A. D. 1897.

CHARLES SELDEN.

lVitncsses: f

ino. W. IIAULENeEEK, l". J. GRIFFITH. 

